Sen. A. M. Garrett

GARRETT, FINLEY, DILL, BARNES, MCCORMICK

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/2/2010 at 19:00:25

Source: LCHS scrapbook; handwritten date of Aug. 15, 1915

SEN. A.M. GARRETT PASSED AWAY SUNDAY

Death Due To A Stroke Of Paralysis

A MOST PROMINENT MAN

Senator Garrett Was Stricken Friday While at Letts Stockyards - Unconscious Over 60 Hours When Death Came - Best Known Resident in the County - Funeral Was Held Tuesday Attended By Great Throng.

Senator A. M. Garrett, perhaps the best known resident of Louisa county, died at his home in Letts Sunday night shortly after 8 o'clock following a third attack of paralysis suffered Friday morning while directing the loading of hogs for the Chicago market, at the Letts stockyards. Mr. Garrett had not been in the best of health since the first attack of paralysis, suffered while on a visit to Muscatine in November, 1913. He was stricken with a second attack in April of this year, which was milder in form. The third attack, however, was more than his strength could combat and death resulted after a period of nearly 60 hours of unconsciousness.

Senator Garrett could count as his friend practically everyone that knew him and the announcement of his death came as a distinct shock to the entire community. He was one of the best known livestock and grain dealers in eastern Iowa and his business sagacity was such that his word was all that was required of him and he never failed to make it good. During recent years he had been associated in business with his brother, Ulric Garrett.

Mr. Garrett in the spring of 1910 was besieged with requests that he become a candidate for the state senate, and yielding, was nominated without opposition. The senatorial district has always been heavily republican and particulary Louisa county, Mr. Garrett largely through his personal popularity overcame this majority and was elected, the first democrat for a generation that had been sent to Des Moines from the Muscatine-Louisa district.

Mr. Garrett as state senator made an excellent record and was found inevitably on the right side of every public question of importance that came before either session of which he was a member. He took his position of senator seriously and he never acted nor cast his vote until he was thoroughly familiar with the subject before the assembly. He was renominated for the office last year and despite the increased strength of the opposition, he was defeated by only a few hundred votes, receiving in total more votes than had been given a democratic candidate for 25 years.

Senator Garrett was born March 31, 1857, on a farm near Letts and received his early education in the schools of the community. He was the son of Barton Garrett and Elizabeth Finley Garrett. He was united in marriage to Miss Laura Dill, of Fredonia, at Muscatin in October 1878, and to this union three children were born, Mrs. May Barnes, of Marcus, Iowa; J. B. Garrett, of near Letts, and Mrs. E. R. McCormick, of Letts. A niece, Miss Mayme Garrett, who has made her home with Mr. Garrett since infancy, also survives, as do three grandchildren, Harriet and Jeanette McCormick and Laura Elizabeth Barnes. Mrs. Garrett also survives her husband, as well as three brothers, Ulric Garrett and Joseph Garrett, of Letts, and J. M. Garrett of Kansas City.

Mr. Garrett was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was prominent in Masonic circles, being a Knight Templar and a Shriner.

The funeral services were held in the Methodist church at Letts at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. D. Phillips, pastor of the church. The services were attended by an enormous crowd of his friends from all over the county and many from elsewhere. The church was packed to its capacity and the yard surrounding it was filled with friends paying their last tribute to a good and worthy man. The burial took place in the Letts cemetery with the Masonic lodge in charge.